| Question: | What notation software/program do you recommend?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | The notation software which we use every day is Finale® from Coda Music Technology. Coda has several notation programs available at different levels and prices with different capabilities, Finale being the top of the line. It can take a little effort to learn how to utilize all of Finale's power, but it will allow you to do nearly anything you want in your score. Coda's other products work in the same way but have fewer features, which may make these easier to learn at first. There is even a free program from coda called Finale Notepad, which can be downloaded from their web site for either Mac or Windows. A free demo is available from Coda's website (www.codamusic.com).
There are other notation programs out there, but we have had the best experience with Finale. If your goal is to be published, we recommend that you use Finale or one of its related programs.
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| Question: | What format are your videos in? Will they work in my player?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | The vast majority of the videos we sell are in VHS NTSC format. The NTSC format is appropriate for players in the US, Canada, and Japan. European players require PAL format. If we offer a video in both formats, they will be listed separately on our site. Many of the videos we offer come from other manufacturers. You can often get VHS PAL format videos from the manufacturers themselves. Just contact us if you need a referral.
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| Question: | Does Mel Bay sell instruments?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | Mel Bay sells only a few small instruments, such as harmonicas, tinwhistles, pan flutes, and a recorder. A complete listing of available intruments is in the Accessories and Instruments category.
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| Question: | I am a music teacher. Can I get a review copy of one of your books?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | Requests for review copies need to be in writing (by mail, fax, or e-mail) with school/business name included and information on what class(es) the review copies are being considered for. It is not necessary for review/desk copies to be returned.
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| Question: | What is your return policy?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | The return policy for retail accounts varies according to the type of account. Stores should contact their sales rep for details and return authorization.
For most items purchased directly from Mel Bay by individuals, we offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Recorded products (CDs, CD-ROM software, DVDs and videos) are not returnable once unwrapped unless defective. Books with CDs and/or DVDs attached to a cover are also not returnable once the envelope of the CD and/or DVD has been opened. Instruments are not returnable. Defective items will be exchanged for the same item only.
To ensure prompt replacement of or credit for damaged or defective items, please check your product upon arrival and report any problems to our customer service department immediately. You must call 1-800-863-5229 and obtain return authorization from a customer service representative before sending a return. Unauthorized returns will not be credited. Returns must be made within 30 days of the invoice date.
Returned items must be in their original condition, free of creases, scratches, writing, stickers, or punctures. Corners should not be worn or bent. For your protection, we recommend shipping returns via UPS or insured parcel post. We cannot refund shipping charges unless the return is due to our error. Items should be returned in their original packaging or another corrugated cardboard box. Paper envelopes (including bubble packed) are not acceptable. Books must be carefully packed to prevent damage due to shifting in transit. Items damaged in the return shipment will only be credited 50% of invoiced value. Include a copy of your invoice in the package.
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| Question: | The web site says that the item I want has been discontinued. Do you still have any?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | No. When we discontinue an item that means we no longer have any to sell and we will not be getting any more. Retail stores may have unsold copies still in stock, but we do not track those copies and we cannot tell you where to get the item. However, some items may be available digitally from Mel Bay Downloads website.
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| Question: | Why don't you offer more books with spiral binding?
| Category: Miscellaneous |
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| Answer: | We do offer several books in spiral bound format, however we cannot offer all books in that format for marketing reasons. While we understand that the end users of our products often prefer spiral binding, we also have to consider the retail market. Stores do not like spiral bound products because they do not stand up on shelves or in browser bins and they do not have spines with the titles on them. The spiral binding also can get tangled and bent during shipping, and can scratch covers and tear page edges. Bookstores do not accept any spiral bound products. It is also much cheaper for us to produce perfect bound books than spiral bound books. We must balance all of these considerations when deciding what binding to use for a product.
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